He said: “You have to understand when people who come into the UK and Germany that you don’t know what this person saw in his life before.

“When I go back to Albania you have six-year-olds who do not go to school and have to work. There are no schools. So they come to this country and it is difficult. We all need to understand the differences.

The German international credits his grandfather Fariz for helping inspire his success after forging a life for his family following a move from Albania.

He told the Daily Mail: “When I was 14 I joined Hamburg’s academy and at that age you are struggling in those first few weeks.

“You are not at home, you don’t see your family and your friends, and suddenly it’s not football the way I knew it at home.

“I think about my grand-father’s situation. I started at a pro club and grew in my career and he also started from zero because he left everything behind to go to Germany to build a life for him and for us as well.

“At least I knew the language and I was born in that country. I had it easier than him so I thought if he did it, I can make it as well.”